Reunion
by nathalex01
Summary: Five years have passed since the New Directions graduated from William McKinley High School and parted ways to live as individuals. Rachel Berry arrives at the school's five-year reunion, only to have her old friends move her life in a new direction.
1. Chapter 1

**- ONE -  
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The William McKinley High School auditorium was adorned from floor to ceiling with lavish, clearly expensive décor. Rachel Berry entered the room for the first time in five years, smiling slightly as she stared at the dark curtain behind the stage. An enormous "_Welcome back!"_ sign was stuck to the eastern wall, directly above the basketball hoop, which had blatantly been reattached by unpainted concrete. The massive room appeared much the same as she remembered; it was funny how little it changed in five years, really. Instantly, she recalled the disastrous performances done by the New Directions on that very stage. Principal Figgins was standing there now; talking into the microphone, using the same monotonous voice as he used to. Rachel noticed her old principal had aged quite noticeably over those few years; his typical weary, uninterested face had left a permanent mark on his complexion._ When did that guy smile last?_ She whispered to herself.

The _WMHS Athletics_ sign remained behind the grandstand on the northern wall of the building. Clearly, it hadn't been moved or cleaned at all. It was worn and torn at the edges. The bright red letters had faded to a dreary light pink. Of course, beyond that, there were countless decorations around her. It almost felt as though the school spent money on nothing other than its reunion celebrations.

* * *

><p>Feeling a little peckish, Rachel turned to the snacks table. A vast assortment of cakes, cookies, sandwiches and chocolate flooded the long, wooden table. As Rachel eyed the chocolate cake, licking her lips as she did so, someone tapped her on the shoulder.<p>

"Rachel?" It was Will.

"That's me," she replied cheerily, "Hey, Mr Schue."

"Ah, come on, Rach, I'm not your teacher anymore."

"Okay then, Will. It sounds so weird saying that," Rachel said. Will laughed.

"So, anyway, what have you been up to lately?" He asked.

"Well, I'm certainly not a Broadway superstar yet, like I wanted."

"You have an amazing voice, Rachel. You will get there, trust me," stated Will, with a strong sense of certainty in his tone.

"Thanks, Mr Schue... Will," said Rachel, smiling.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm starving," she said quickly.

"Well, I'd hate to keep a woman from her food," joked Will, "that much, at least, I learnt from Terri."

* * *

><p>Rachel and Will parted ways, and Rachel turned to face the one thing she needed in life right now; food. In the corner of her eye, she spotted Finn sitting in the front row of the auditorium, laughing with three girls. Rachel felt a spark of jealousy ignite in her, but tried to ignore it. She attempted to identify the girls. Brittany and Santana were two of them, that much was obvious. To Rachel's surprise, however, Quinn was not the third. Rachel giggled as she realised the third girl, whose hair was clearly blonde, was actually not a girl at all. It was Sam. She noticed several people then staring at her laughing at herself, so she stopped instantly, with an awkward look on her face. Rachel was very curious as to why Quinn was absent from the group, and turned to look for her. Since Rachel's arrival at the auditorium, the building had filled very quickly, and she knew she had no hope of identifying Quinn in the crowd. Rachel considered going up to Finn, but somehow knew it'd be a bad idea. After all, she hadn't even spoken to him since graduation.<p>

* * *

><p>Rachel sighed, and then hurried to the food table, which was clearing up fast. She grabbed one of the few remaining salad sandwiches, and took a massive bite out of it.<p>

"Hey, slow down there, Rachel," called an awfully familiar voice.

"Quinn," she acknowledged dispassionately, and then gasped in horror at the person she was holding hands with; a man she hadn't seen since New Directions' 2010 Regional Competition. Jesse St. James.

"It's been a while, Rachel," said Jesse.

"W – When did you two..." Rachel asked quickly.

"Get engaged?" interrupted Quinn, shoving a ring in Rachel's face. Rachel was speechless. Quinn had antagonised Rachel throughout her entire schooling life, with some of the most terrible actions in her senior year especially. The major reason Rachel hated Quinn, though, was the simple fact that she had dated every boyfriend Rachel had ever had. These past five years had been years of freedom for Rachel. She even removed Quinn as a friend on Facebook the night of graduation.

"You guys have some catching up to do," said Jesse, interrupting Rachel's thoughts.

* * *

><p>As he took his leave, Rachel attempted to regain her composure.<p>

"Wow, Rachel. You've never looked more confused," Quinn remarked. Rachel looked hesitant, but eventually spoke.

"When did you two get together? You were dating Finn all throughout senior year!"

"Finn's an absolute jerk. I don't suppose you know about him and Santana four years ago," said Quinn. Rachel said nothing.

"Didn't think so. Anyway, long story short, we broke up."

"So, Finn's single?" asked Rachel hopefully.

"Well, he was four years ago. Then again, I was single four years ago, too," Quinn replied irritably, again showing off her ring.

"Oh, right," sighed Rachel, "well, thanks anyway, Quinn." Rachel turned away.

"Rachel, stop," called Quinn.

"Look, I'm sorry. About Finn, about Puck, about Jesse, about Sam, about... well, you get the drift."

Rachel turned back to face Quinn.

"Let's face it. I was a bitch to you back then," Quinn admitted. Rachel was shocked at her sincerity.

"Surprisingly enough, it was Jesse who helped me there," continued Quinn, "but I've changed over these years."

"Okay..." Rachel began.

"Look, Rachel," Quinn interjected, "I really am sorry. I want to make it up to you somehow."

"Quinn, don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly grateful for what you just said, but you make my whole life at school a living hell. How exactly do you intend to make up for all those years?" asked Rachel.

Quinn looked irritated at that question, but she took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I know, Rachel. It's a lot. But regardless, I'm going to make this up to you. And I know exactly how I can."


	2. Chapter 2

**- TWO -**

"Well, I'm getting a little thirsty. I'll see you guys later," said Finn as he rose from his chair. Santana smiled.

"Going already?" she asked coyly. She took his hand into her own, staring up at him in a flirtatious manner. Brittany noticed Sam wince at that gesture, and glared at him.

Finn smiled back at Santana as he walked away from the group, pretending to look towards the punch bowl on the snack table as he did so. Of course, it wasn't because he was thirsty that he had to leave; it was because he saw someone he hadn't seen in five years. Rachel was talking to someone near the table; a blonde woman, Finn noted. As he approached his ex-girlfriend, countless thoughts raced through his mind. He and Rachel had some unresolved issues; that much was obvious. He remembered what he did to her at graduation. In his mind, he knew it was something she hadn't forgiven him about. In fact, she was probably never going to. But, it was worth a shot anyway.

Then, he saw something that woke him from his thoughts with a start. The woman Rachel was talking to was someone he didn't want to see any time soon. Quinn Fabray. Finn realised that the two of them were actually smiling at each other. This left him completely perplexed; Rachel and Quinn had almost never smiled when in close proximity to one another. After all, he did cheat on them both with each other more times than he could count. Finn decided to wait to talk to Rachel; it wasn't a great idea with Quinn around. Still looking completely confused, Finn turned back towards Santana, Brittany and Sam, but someone else moved to stand in front of him.

* * *

><p>"Ah, I remember you!" said the man. He looked vaguely familiar, but Finn couldn't put a name to the face.<p>

"Jesse St. James, Quinn's fianc_é,"_ said the man smugly, gesturing towards his engagement ring._  
><em>

"Wait... so you and Quinn are married?" Finn asked, aghast.

"No, we're engaged. That's what _fiancé_ means," Jesse replied emphatically.

Finn couldn't believe this. He remembered that Jesse St. James was the young man that took Rachel away from him in their first year of glee club, but now he was taking Quinn, the first girl Finn ever really loved, away for good?

Finn stuttered, trying to figure out what to say.

"Finn, my good man, I just came over to say "hey", but clearly you're upset about something," Jesse began, "care to explain?"

"When did you two get together?" Finn asked, clearly sounding upset.

"Calm down, calm down. I'm pretty sure you know when. Right after you broke her heart, actually, but I was hoping to avoid any conflict here," replied Jesse.

"After I broke her heart?" shouted an exasperated Finn, "she broke mine!"

Jesse swallowed, clearly attempting in vain to remain calm.

"What other lies has she told you?"

Jesse turned his head to face Quinn, noticing that both she and Rachel, as well as everyone else in the auditorium, were listening intently to the heated conversation.

"Don't you dare accuse Quinn of lying," Jesse said coldly, turning back towards Finn. Finn clenched his fists.

Quinn raced towards them, with Rachel close behind.

"Tell him the truth, Quinn!" roared Finn. Quinn's eyes welled up with tears.

"I have!" she screamed, "You cheated on me!" Enraged, Jesse walked towards Quinn, covering her shoulders with his left arm. Finn stepped closer to Jesse, raising his fist.

Almost instantly, Rachel leapt between the two, raising her hands in a "stop" gesture at Finn.

"Don't, Finn," Rachel said softly. But that wasn't enough.

Finn pushed Rachel aside; nearly knocking her to the floor, and lunged at Jesse.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, a ear-splitting thudding noise pierced the air and Finn was thrown to the floor. Sam stood in front of him, offering his hand to Rachel to help her up.<p>

"Are you alright?" Sam asked, smiling at her. Rachel was shocked as she realised what Sam had just done for her. Rachel and Sam had dated at the beginning of their final year of school, but it ended badly.

"I – I'm fine," replied Rachel, returning the smile. Jesse helped Finn get back up.

"Let's just forget about this, alright?" he said quickly.

Finn glared at Quinn and headed straight for the exit, not saying a word to anyone. Grinning slyly, Santana took Brittany's hand and followed Finn out the door, ensuring to avoid being seen by the others. Jesse turned to face Quinn and swiftly kissed her on the cheek, without saying a word. He took his soon-to-be-bride's hand and walked away from Sam and Rachel, whispering something in her ear.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked abruptly.

"I only caught the end of it," replied Rachel, "it sounded like Finn thought it was Quinn who cheated on him."

"Do you think that's true?"

"I'm not sure. Quinn's never been as honest with me as she was tonight. She sounded so sincere."

"Yeah, well, Quinn's a manipulative bitch." Rachel decided it was best not to reply to that. She turned to look at Quinn, and then the door Finn was just leaving from. One of them just lied. Very publicly, too. Either the girl who just swore she owed Rachel something big or the guy who Rachel loved for years now had just openly lied to her.

"You sure you're okay?" Sam asked, blatantly sounding concerned.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I was just thinking."

"I'm not too sure I agree with you there. You really shouldn't be driving home alone tonight." Rachel smiled slightly at Sam's obvious concern.

"I'm still perfectly capable of driving, you know," Rachel joked. Sam laughed.

"No doubt. Still, I'm not letting you leave on your own. We'll go whenever you're ready."


	3. Chapter 3

**- THREE -**

Finn ran from the auditorium to the his old, rusty hatchback, eyes flooded with tears. He had just absolutely humiliated himself in front of hundreds of people. He played the memory over and over again of Rachel standing against him; her face white in horror,

"_Don't, Finn."_

All she'd said was two words. Two words that, he knew, had destroyed what little remained of their feelings for each other. And then there was also Quinn. He was over her; he was sure of it. _Then why did I just attack that Jesse guy?_ He realised then that it didn't matter. Rachel. Quinn. The only two girls he ever really cared for; he'd just lost them both for good.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Finn," Santana said, as she approached him in the carpark. She still held Brittany's hand firmly; although Brittany was clearly confused about what Santana was doing.<p>

Finn ignored her, and swiftly sat in the driver's seat of his car, bashing his head rhythmically against the steering wheel. Santana quickly leapt into the passenger's seat, quickly giving Brittany a demanding gesture to stay outside.

"Do you need some cheering up?" said Santana, winking as she did so. Finn turned his head to look at her.

"Santana, do you have any understanding of emotions?" he asked, annoyed. Santana's expression faded.

"Look, Finn. This obsession of yours about Rachel and Quinn has seriously got to go. After all, you're my boyfriend and I love you," she said, matter-of-factly. A slight smile appeared on Finn's distraught face. Slight, but still there. Finn took a deep breath, and sat up straight in his seat.

"So, are you ready to go back in?" Santana asked.

"Actually, Santana, I think it's time we went home. Alone, I mean," Finn replied, gesturing towards Brittany. Santana smiled flirtatiously.

"Well, I had another idea, but that works too." Finn looked puzzled, but shrugged it off.

"Yo, Britt!" Santana called as Finn turned on the ignition, "I'll see you tomorrow!" The two drove off, leaving a still-confused Brittany in the dust. Brittany sighed.

"Yeah... bye, Santana," she said quietly, knowing there was no way she could hear her soft voice.

* * *

><p>Moments later, Sam and Rachel exited the main building of the school, staring out into the cold, dark night.<p>

"Lovely weather for Ohio, don't you think?" Rachel asked blissfully.

"Sure is, it's great to see that..." Sam began, but then he noticed Brittany standing alone.

"Hey, Brittany!" he called. She turned towards them.

"What are you doing out here all alone? It's freezing!" Rachel called, as she and Sam walked towards her.

"Finn and Santana just left. I don't know why they brought me out here with them though. Emotional support, I guess."

Rachel gulped at the mention of Finn, and she hoped Sam didn't notice it.

"Ah, right. So, they're still going steady, hey? Must be a record for Santana, at least," said Sam.

Rachel was shocked.

"Wait, so Finn and Santana are still together?" she asked quickly.

"For about four years now, yes," replied Brittany. Sam thought he noticed a quiver of disappointment in Brittany's tone as she spoke, but he decided it was best to let it slide.

"So, Finn did cheat on Quinn!" said Rachel.

"No, he didn't... Quinn started fooling around with Jesse while they dated. It really pissed him off, as I remember," said Sam quickly. Brittany looked baffled again.

"That's not what happened, Sam. Finn cheated on Quinn. Rachel's right."

Rachel groaned in aggravation.

"So, you're telling me neither of you know what happened, either?" she asked.

Sam began to speak, but was quickly shot down by Brittany. In that moment of silence, Rachel thought deeply about Finn. _Why did she really want to know who cheated on who? Did she want it to be Quinn? Did she want Finn to be the good guy?_

"So, Rachel, do you want to go home now, or what?" Sam asked, saving Rachel from her thoughts.

"Oh, um, yes. I suppose so," she replied quickly.

"Well, see you later, Sam," said Brittany, giving him a quick wink. Sam ignored this, and hoped Rachel did too.

* * *

><p>Brittany retreated back into the auditorium, while Rachel and Sam headed off to Sam's car, which was admittedly much more expensive than Finn's.<p>

Brittany immediately noticed how much warmer it was in the auditorium, and smiled slightly as she entered. It had only been a few minutes since she went outside, but the crowd in the room was already starting to thin out. People had become considerably more loud and rowdy since then, so she was sure that the alcohol was starting to kick in. She saw Quinn and Jesse sitting close to the seats that herself, Santana, Finn and Sam were sitting in earlier on in the evening, and she remembered the laughter they were all sharing. It was funny how all that could change in such a short time. Brittany sat down at a nearby seat; she needed some time to think, but it was mere minutes before she was interrupted.

"Hey, Britt," said a familiar voice. It was Mike Chang.

"Hey, Mike. It's been a while," said Brittany.

"How are things with you and Tina?"

"We broke up last year. We tried Asian couples' counselling, but it just wasn't working out for us."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah, but it's all cool. I think she's still with Artie now, actually." Brittany sighed at the mention of Artie. Artie gave her the longest relationship she'd ever had; and she enjoyed every minute of it. When he broke up with her in senior year, it destroyed Brittany. Admittedly, she could understand why he did it; she had grown more than just a little close to Santana at the time. But that was back then. Santana was never able to accept to Brittany as a girlfriend; Santana's reputation was more important to her than the people she loved.

"Anyway, Brittany, I just wanted to come ask if you wanted to dance. For old time's sake." Mike and Brittany were the best dancers in New Directions back in the day, that much was obvious. Whenever the club needed some choreography made up, Mike and Brittany were the people to go to. Brittany smiled.

"Sure. For old time's sake," she said, taking his hand.


	4. Chapter 4

**- FOUR -**

"I love this song," said Rachel serenely, relaxing back in the front seat of Sam's car. She smiled. Rachel had never noticed it before, but there was something about Sam that made her feel safe. There was nothing in the world that could harm her. The soft, slow song played throughout most of the brief road trip and, together with knowing Sam was close to her, it made Rachel feel more at peace than ever. Thinking deeply about it, Rachel realised she'd never felt this way about Finn. Finn only brought false hope, anxiety and stress into the young woman's life. The two said very few words to each other during the trip, but it didn't matter. Rachel felt at home with Sam, and somehow, she knew he felt the same way.

"Here we are," said Sam as the car pulled into the driveway at Rachel's dads' house.

"Already? That was pretty quick," commented Rachel, flashing Sam a quick smile.

"Couldn't agree more," Sam began, "so, I'll be seeing you soon, then?" He looked deeply into her beautiful brown eyes, glimmering brightly as diamonds; even in the dimly lit car. Smiling ever so slightly, he leaned in to kiss her. Rachel Berry, the shrill, overbearing and irritating young girl he'd found hard to love in high school had become this gorgeous, angelic woman that he could barely take his eyes off of. Realistically, the kiss had barely lasted a minute, but to Rachel and Sam, it felt like a lifetime. An entire lifetime of bliss and happiness. The sort of thing that both of them had been struggling to find for years; they were just looking in the wrong places.

"Yeah. I'll see you soon," Rachel said, slowly pulling away from Sam. She hurried out of the car, blushing as she did so and smiling brighter than she ever had before. She turned to see Sam driving off, still waving at her long after the car had vanished from her sight.

* * *

><p>"Have you tried this punch? It's delightful," said Jesse, gulping down yet another massive mouthful of the drink.<p>

"Yeah, it's nice," replied Quinn. She was obviously distracted, but Jesse knew Quinn well enough to know she'd never admit it.

"You're not still upset about Finn, are you?" he asked casually, placing the drink on the table beside him.

"No, not at all. I'm over Finn. Way over." Jesse let out a slight chuckle, but it didn't remain unnoticed by Quinn.

"I'm serious. He cheated on me. That's not a turn on for many girls, you know."

"I know, Quinn. I trust you. I'm just hoping you're all right," said Jesse, with undeniable sincerity in his tone.

"After all, we have a wedding to go in a couple of weeks. You know, _our_ wedding." Quinn smiled at Jesse, and watched as he made himself another glass of the fruit punch. She looked around the auditorium, and set her eyes on the old WMHS sign above the stage. She let out a brief sigh, and turned back to Jesse. Quinn loved Jesse; she was certain of that. The idea of getting married, of settling down for the rest of her life, however, was starting to scare her. After all, she had her whole life ahead of her still. Was she where she wanted to be? That was a question that was weighing heavily on her pretty little mind for a while now. Just as she was considering this yet again, Jesse broke the silence between the two of them.

"So, what were you and Rachel talking about? Well, before, you know..." he asked.

"I made her a promise," she replied, looking back at the old WMHS sign, "a promise I intend to keep."

"Care to explain?"

"It's nothing, really," Quinn lied. Jesse looked doubtful, but he decided to go with it. He didn't want an argument with his bride-to-be so close to the wedding date.

Quinn looked around again at the crowd in the auditorium. No more than twenty people remained, and most of those that did remain were sitting down, relaxing in the early morning. All except for two people. Quinn recognised them as Mike and Brittany, who were dancing together, much like they did back in New Directions' Sectional competition in 2011. They looked happy; they looked certain about what they wanted in life. Quinn quietly prayed for the same thing in her own life. She wanted to be certain about her future with Jesse. She wanted to be certain that she was over Finn and Sam. A simple request, Quinn thought, but she knew it wouldn't be something that could be resolved overnight.

* * *

><p>Santana barged into Finn's house, slamming the front door loudly into the wall. She'd forced Finn to stop off at the local bar on their way home to take away what she considered to be a "few" drinks. Awkwardly, Finn followed her into the room, barely half as drunk as his girlfriend.<p>

"Oh, Finny! It's bed time, baby boy!" she shouted, almost unintelligibly. Finn took her hand, and directed her to the living room, where he set her down carefully on to the sofa.

"We'll need to have a little talk in the morning," he said slowly, stroking her cheek. He turned away from her, and headed off to the bedroom. Almost instantaneously, however, Santana gripped his arm, pulling him closer to her.

"But it's so early," she whispered. Politely, Finn attempted to free himself from her grip, but the attempt was fruitless. Santana pressed her mouth to his, still gripping his arm tightly. Finn couldn't deny that Santana was more than just a good kisser; she was no less than a goddess. Finn could taste the strawberry lip balm that Santana wore almost all the time, and it tasted pretty nice. Finn had always loved the taste of lip balm, but it wasn't something he was ever going to admit aloud; especially around Kurt. By now, Finn was lying on the sofa with Santana, with his hand resting right behind his girlfriend's bra strap. Santana sat up, ripping off Finn's shirt and then going straight for his belt buckle. He loosened the bra strap and repositioned himself directly above Santana's barely-clothed body.

"Yeah, let's leave the talking for later."


	5. Chapter 5

**- FIVE -**

After dancing together for what seemed like hours, Brittany and Mike finally separated. The music had stopped playing nearly twenty minutes ago now, and only a few cleaners remained in the litter-covered auditorium. Breathing heavily, she looked into his eyes as if she were seeing them for the first time.

"You've still got the moves, Mike," said Brittany, grinning. Mike replied with a modest shrug.

"Some things just stick with you, I guess. It's been years since I really got down with someone," said Mike. Not knowing what to say, Brittany simply laughed.

"It really has been nice seeing you again, Britt," Mike said sweetly.

"Not to be too out of line here, but are you still in love with Santana?" If Brittany was speechless before, she must have had her vocal chords destroyed after hearing that.

"That was pretty random," she managed to say, hoping to avoid the question by instead staring around the empty room awkwardly.

"Fine, fine," he began, and then took a deep breath.

"Brittany, I've never really been good at this, but... I've kind of liked you for a while now, and..."

"Really? You were with Tina throughout most of high school. You barely even looked at me," Brittany quickly interjected, changing to a much more stern tone.

"What was the point, Brittany? How could I with you staring at Santana all the time? I still don't get how Artie was able to ignore that. He must've been pretty damn oblivious," replied Mike.

"I loved Artie."

"Not as much as you loved Santana though, right?" Mike asked, clearly attempting in vain to keep up the assertive attitude.

"Mike, I'm being serious. I was never in love with Santana."

"Yes, you were. I wanted to say something ever since I first saw you in Glee club, seriously, but..." Brittany sighed, and then closed her eyes.

"But what?" she asked at length.

"Right after Geometry class one time, I brought in all the courage I could find, but when I saw you..." he began, "I also saw Santana's legs wrapped around your neck." Mike looked about ready to cry his eyes out, but he turned around briefly, regaining his strength.

"Sorry I asked, Brittany," he said quickly, avoiding eye contact with her.

"Mike, I'm sorry!" she called out, but he had already made it to the door, not looking back at her.

* * *

><p>The sun shone very brightly over Lima the next day, and Rachel decided to take it as a sign. Up until last night, she took little notice of Sam Evans. That was excluding their incredibly short-lived fling in senior year, when she was using him mostly to get back at Finn. Last night, however, she saw a new man in him. A strong, loving, sensitive guy that genuinely cared for her; a guy that probably wouldn't mind her calling him so early the next day. Fortunately, Sam still seemed keen to meet up with her for lunch at Breadstix that day.<p>

"Well, at least that kiss wasn't entirely because of the alcohol," she said to herself, grinning out of her bedroom window. A knock at the door had thrown Rachel out of her blissful state of mind. Curious about who could possibly need to visit so early, she didn't bother asking who it was first.

"Miss me?" asked Quinn. Rachel opened her mouth to answer, only to be quickly shot down by Quinn.

"That was rhetorical," said Quinn, heading straight for the sofa.

"Rachel, Rachel, Rachel..." said Quinn, staring up at the ceiling. She cocked her head to face her.

"We need to talk."

"Okay..." Rachel said, taking the seat beside her.

"First, I really need to clear this up for you. Finn did cheat on me, alright?"

"Sure," replied Rachel, obviously uncomfortable.

"Good. I was hoping that wouldn't be too hard for you. Now..." Quinn began, leaning back to relax on the sofa.

"Actually, before we continue, I must point out that it's customary to serve drinks to house guests."

Rachel attempted a smile, but she was almost certain that it failed dismally. She rose to fetch the two some drinks, which was met with a quick "thank you" from Quinn. Upon returning with the cups of water, Rachel noticed that Quinn was now sitting up, and had already managed to work her television set. Quinn took a sip, blatantly annoyed that she was only getting water.

"So, Quinn..." Rachel began, "why are you really here?"

"To make up for being a bitch, of course."

"By coming to my house uninvited, hogging my sofa and demanding beverages?" Quinn rolled her eyes.

"I'm here to make your dream come true, actually."

* * *

><p>Finn's sofa was surprisingly cosy, Santana thought as she ever-so-slowly woke up. Finn was still sleeping at her side, snoring his head off. Santana carefully stood up and walked away from him, heading straight for the shower. <em>He was pretty good, but still fairly sloppy<em>. She nearly fell over three times during her short trip to the bathroom, but that was all to blame on her horrific hangover. It was worth it though; she was almost certain that what happened between her and Finn last night had successfully gotten her out of having that "talk" that Finn wanted to have. Getting undressed for her shower was a painfully simple effort, even with her as hungover as she was. _Sleeping while nearly completely naked sure had its benefits_. Unfortunately, however, there were no towels having on the rack.

"Finn!" she screamed, crashing into countless walls, doors, cabinets and table on her way back to the living room. Finn woke up almost instantly, and let out an irritated groan. Upon seeing a naked Santana standing in front of him, his annoyance was swiftly tossed aside.

"There are no towels. Get me one," she said, much quieter this time. Just as Finn began to speak, the phone rang.

"Oh, no, don't get up. I'll do it," said Santana sarcastically, sighing as she turned to go pick up the phone.

"It's for you." Santana threw the phone towards him, though it was a feeble attempt in her drunken state.

"Hello?" Finn asked.

"Hey, Finn, it's Jesse," said the voice quickly. Finn felt a spark of fury re-ignite in his blood.

"Meet me back in the auditorium as soon as you can. There's something I really need you to know."


	6. Chapter 6

**- SIX -**

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Rachel asked, shuffling awkwardly in her seat. Naturally, Rachel was absolutely shocked at what Quinn had just said to her.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm here to make your dream come true, actually."<em>

* * *

><p>"It can't be that hard, Rachel," Quinn began, "it <em>is<em> your dream after all."

"So, you're telling me you can make me famous?"

"I'll do my best. I am a pretty damn successful chick. Being gorgeous helps, too."

"You're successful?" asked a puzzled Rachel.

"You need to get out more, Rachel. Haven't you seen my movie?" said Quinn, raising her eyebrows.

"You were in a movie?" Rachel shouted in disbelief. Of all the other glee members Rachel knew, Quinn was certainly not the one she thought would end up famous. Mercedes and Kurt might have had a shot, but Quinn?

"It doesn't surprise me that you haven't made it to Broadway yet. That would involve leaving the house on occasion," Quinn said sardonically.

"How exactly do you plan to do that?" Rachel asked, ignoring Quinn's comment. Quinn stood up.

"I've already organised an audition for you for some musical show based here in Lima. They're shooting the first episode today, but they're willing to make some changes if you're as good as I said you were," replied Quinn, grinning. Rachel was lost for words.

"Are – are you serious?"

"Dead serious. It's not too often things like this happen in Lima," said Quinn.

"So, the audition is today?" asked Rachel.

"1 o'clock," Quinn began, "you might want to get there early, though."

"Anyway, Rachel, I've really got to get going. Jesse's probably freaking out." Rachel simply grinned in reply. She was far too happy to care.

"See you later, Rachel. Break a leg," said Quinn, as she headed for Rachel's front door.

"Thank you, Quinn!" Rachel shouted gleefully, smiling as brightly as she had last night with Sam. Rachel threw herself back onto the sofa, laughing uncontrollably. Her dream guy and her dream career were thrown at her in less than a day. Nothing could break Rachel Berry now.

* * *

><p>The auditorium was now looking much the same as it did back in high school; old and ratty. Finn was shocked at just how much damage the decorations of the night before covered up. The gymnasium looked awful. When Coach Beiste left in his senior year, the football team went right back to the way they used to be; embarrassing. With none of the school's major clubs bringing in any money at all, expenses were harshly cut back. New Directions' Regional victory back in 2011 was the only thing keeping the club active. It was clear to Finn that the school's bad luck remained consistent over these past five years. After remembering how good the auditorium looked last night, Finn was sure that the school was throwing all the money they had on it's reunion celebrations. William McKinley High School was hanging on tightly to the glory of the past that might never resurface.<p>

* * *

><p>"You took your time," said Jesse as Finn entered the building. Finn glared at him.<p>

"What do you want?" Finn asked aggressively.

"This isn't about what I want," Jesse replied, "this is about what you want." Finn raised his eyebrows.

"What the hell are you on about?"

"Rachel," said Jesse.

"I saw you walking up to her last night, staring at her with puppy-dog eyes. You want her bad." Finn said nothing.

"I know we had our differences. I'm used to being threatened with punches to the face, actually," said Jesse matter-of-factly.

"If you thought I was after Rachel, why'd you stop me?"

"I did that for Quinn. She didn't want to see you." Finn clenched his fists again, but decided it wasn't worth it. Jesse cleared his throat.

"I felt bad for you, Finn," Jesse began, "you looked distraught after I told you about Quinn and I."

"However, you shoving Rachel on to the floor proved to me that you're never going to her back without some serious help."

"Go on," said Finn.

"Quinn told me that Rachel's still single this morning, so there's a still a chance for you, Finn."

"What about Santana?"

"You don't love Santana. Or at least, she certainly doesn't love you. That much was obvious," Jesse laughed.

"What can you of all people do about me and Rachel?"

"_Rachel and I_," Jesse corrected, "but to answer your question though, I can get to Rachel through Quinn. You tell me whatever you want done, and Rachel will be right there within hours."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Finn!" called a voice from behind. It was Sam.<p>

"I called Santana; she told me you'd be here." Finn sighed.

"What do you want, Sam?"

"Look, I just wanted you to know there's no hard feelings."

"About sucker punching me in the face?"

"Oh, yeah, that too," said Sam.

"What else was there?" Finn asked coldly. Sam looked surprised.

"I went home with Rachel last night. I thought you knew." Again, Finn clenched his fists. Instantly, he spun around to face Jesse.

"You told me she was still single!" shouted Finn. Jesse looked mortified.

"Quinn told me she was!" shrieked Jesse.

"Sam, maybe you'd like to leave quickly now," said Jesse, feigning a smile. Sam opened to mouth to speak, but then simply sighed in defeat. Finn and Jesse said nothing until Sam was out of earshot, causing an excruciatingly long silence.

"That complicates things," said Jesse finally.

"You think?" Finn shouted.

"Finn, shut up. I'm going to help you get the girl of your dreams. Is that enough?" yelled Jesse.

"Fine," replied Finn, "but unless you didn't notice, Sam's kind of with her now."

"A minor complication. I'm just going to need your help at first then," said Jesse. Finn scoffed.

"Perhaps your _girlfriend_ might come in handy after all, then."


	7. Chapter 7

**- SEVEN -**

Breadstix was fairly quiet considering it was lunch time already. Sam's eyes consistently wandered between his wristwatch and the restaurant's entrance. Rachel would be here soon. He was sure of it. Sam didn't really know to what expect from this date. After all, he'd only ever been on one date with Rachel before, and neither of them really even wanted to be there. But this time was different. He wanted her this time, and he was certain that she wanted him back. He thought of that kiss last night; that blissful moment when he saw a new woman in her. A beautiful, angelic face that he could easily imagine waking up to see by his side each and every day. Still, Sam stared at his watch. She was only fifteen minutes late so far; no big deal. He was getting a little edgy now. Surely, there was no way she could forget about a date she planned herself only a few hours early. As Sam moved his line of sight towards the entrance, two familiar woman stepped inside the building; Brittany and Santana. Sam swallowed, and ducked down slightly in his seat to avoid being seen, but it was no use. Santana's painfully persistent vision caught him within seconds. She grinned, and then nudged Brittany.

"Trouty mouth! How are you?" she asked, overly enthusiastically. _Trouty mouth_. Admittedly, Sam regretted the idea of writing and performing original songs at Regionals because of those two words. Santana's trademark nickname for Sam had remained unchanged after all these years.

"Hey, Santana," Sam replied, trying to keep his cool.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We're having lunch together. That's what people often do at midday in restaurants," said Santana in her usual sarcastic tone.

"What about you, Sammy?" she asked.

"As a matter of fact, I'm here with Rachel." Brittany stared at the chair opposite Sam.

"She's not there, Sam," said Brittany pointedly. A cheeky grin covered Santana's face.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon," said Sam stoically.

"Oh, definitely," intoned Santana, "it's not like Rachel to be late, after all." Sam said nothing.

"She'll be here."

"Whatever you say, lady lips." Santana turned to Brittany.

"Let's just sit here," she said, flashing Sam a smile.

"I just told you Rachel's coming soon."

"No, she's not, Sammy," said Santana quickly.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Intuition," Santana replied, "anyway, Sammy, I wanted to have a quick chat about us."

"What about us?"

"Our unresolved sexual desires. Let's leave it that."

"We have none."

"We do now," Santana began, "Brittany and I were just wondering if you wanted to join us for a little... um, _afternoon delight_." Sam's eyes opened as wide as his mouth could at that.

"I'll just wait for Rachel, thanks," Sam said, clearly lost for words.

"You sure? Three is always better than two."

"That's true," commented Brittany, nodding her head.

"Look, Sam. How late is she now?" asked Santana. Reluctantly, Sam checked his watch.

"Half an hour," he said finally.

"And you still think she's coming?" Sam said nothing.

"She obviously doesn't give a damn about you, Sammy, but Britt and I totally do." Brittany still nodded her head. Santana stood up, and looked down at Sam.

"Forget lunch. We'll just come on down to my place together, all right?" asked Santana, offering her hand to Sam. Hesitantly, Sam stood up, and took Santana's hand.

"See, that wasn't too hard now, was it?"

* * *

><p>Quinn felt terrible for what she'd just done. She parked the car outside her parent's house, and buried her head in the wheel. Tears began to fill her eyes, and she began to curse Jesse under her breath.<p>

"_I made her a promise; a promise I intend to keep."_

Why did she even do that? She took advantage of an incredibly fragile young woman. Hearing Rachel's screams of joy as she left her house was torture for Quinn. She had no idea what Jesse intended to achieve by crushing Rachel's dreams. _Again_. But still, it was all Quinn's fault. It was just as well she didn't tell Jesse about Sam and Rachel earlier this morning. Sam didn't need to get involved in Jesse's as-yet-unknown schemes. Quinn cared about Sam too much for that. The look of joy on Sam's face as he left the auditorium with Rachel last night; it didn't make Quinn jealous. It made her happy. Sam and Rachel had both moved on and left the past behind them. Neither of them forgave Quinn for what she did. Hell, even Quinn never forgave herself for it. She took a deep breath, and looked at the clock in the car. _12:23pm_. There wasn't enough time left. Rachel would already be at the show grounds, knowing her. Chances were, she'd completely forgotten about her date with Sam. Of course, Quinn knew why she couldn't remind her. Jesse wouldn't be too pleased with her in the case. If only Sam hadn't told her everything on the phone last night, she wouldn't have even known about the date. She wouldn't have felt so bad for doing what she did.

"Looks like you win, Jesse," Quinn snarled.

"But that won't be happening again."

* * *

><p>Finn arrived at the showground as per Jesse's request. If all went well, Rachel would be here momentarily. That was only if Quinn played her part properly. As expected, there was no television crew here at all; just a few cleaners running around setting up for whatever event was to be held in a few days. Finn smiled slightly at this. Rachel would believe anything if it involved her and being famous at the same time. He knew this wasn't going to be easy; Sam now stood between the two of them. Hopefully, however, Santana and Brittany were helping with that problem right now. Seeing Jesse the way he was in the auditorium this morning really made Finn think. <em>How could Quinn possibly be engaged to that guy?<em> Jesse seemed madly in love with Quinn last night, but it felt like a mere act to Finn. He thought it was only his unstoppable fury at first, but there definitely were signs. Finn certainly wouldn't think to confront Jesse about it though; the two of them didn't exactly see eye to eye at the best of times.

Suddenly, Finn could see Rachel's car entering the carpark at the opposite side of the showgrounds. A grin made its mark on Finn's face.

"Showtime."


	8. Chapter 8

**- EIGHT -**

Rachel stepped out of her car, staring curiously at the only showground in all of Lima. Much to her surprise, the field was almost entirely empty, save for a few cleaners rushing around doing this and that. Most importantly, however, there was no TV crew. There was nobody waiting impatiently for Rachel, holding a TV contract and a camera in their hand. Her heart sank at the sight of the showground. Quinn had simply played her; that was all. That heartless cow gave her a massive spark of hope for her own dreams, and then sent her off to get them crushed into nothingness. Rachel cursed Quinn under her breath, tears raining down from her beautiful, brown eyes. Quinn told Rachel she'd changed; she wasn't a bitch any more. What a lie that was. She'd always gone miles out of her way to make Rachel's life intolerable, and she did exactly the same thing just now. She turned back to her car, sighing as she took her last look at the showground, only to see someone completely unexpected resting their arm on the car's bonnet; Finn Hudson.

* * *

><p>"I really did miss you, Rach." Still distraught, Rachel brushed past Finn and headed straight for the car door. Finn took her hand; she wasn't going anywhere.<p>

"Let go of me, Finn."

"I'm sorry, Rachel." Rachel said nothing, and simply glared at her ex-boyfriend.

"How'd your date with Sam go?" Finn asked, still firmly grasping her hand. A look of sheer horror struck Rachel's face. Finn and Quinn planned this; they must have. How else would Finn know about the date? Rachel checked the time on her phone, using her free hand. She let out a little cry when she realised. It was too late. It was almost an hour too late now. There was no way Sam would still be waiting, still hoping to see her bright smile again.

"Why did you do this, Finn?" Rachel screamed, barely intelligible through her tears. Finn let go of her hand, and took a step back.

"Do what?" he asked, calmly.

"You know damn well what you did," snarled Rachel, tearing open the car door.

"Rachel, wait!" called Finn, dashing into the passenger's seat; leaving no time for her to lock the door.

"Get out, Finn. Get out, get out!"

"Rachel, calm down!" yelled an infuriated Finn.

"Calm down? Really? You and Quinn just ripped up my lifelong dream and tore Sam away from me in one go. Are you happy now, Finn? Did you get what you wanted? God, I hope so."

"Rachel, I'm sorry," Finn said, clearing his throat. Rachel shot him a death glare at that, her blissful complexion having now been entirely overcome by anguish.

"I don't care, Finn."

"You know I love you, Rachel, but..." Finn began, only to be instantly cut off by Rachel.

"But I don't love you, Finn. I never will. I was an idiot for even thinking about someone like you in that way." Finn couldn't believe this. He'd always thought of her as his backup plan; the girl who would always be right there waiting no matter what happened. But this time, Rachel didn't want him.

"You're not being serious, are you?" he asked, clearly shocked by Rachel's change of attitude.

"Yes," replied Rachel coldly.

"Now, for the last time, Finn. Get the hell out of my car."

* * *

><p>As Santana and Brittany lead Sam to Santana's apartment; all he was able to think about was Rachel. This was new to Sam; he'd never been stood up by anyone before. He kept envisioning last night; that magical kiss could still be felt on his mouth. And yet, here he was, following Santana and Brittany to indulge in what Santana referred to as <em>afternoon delight.<em> Within an instant, Santana grabbed Sam by the collar of his and shoved him onto the couch.

"Rachel wouldn't so willingly do this with you, would she?" Santana derided, leaning down to Sam's level.

"Actually, Santana, I really shouldn't be doing this," said Sam, awkwardly.

"Because of Rachel? She stood you up, remember?" Santana caressed his cheek, smiling flirtatiously as she did so.

"She might not care about you, Sammy, but I do." Sam stood up, and brushed past Santana.

"No," he managed to say, "I have to go now."

"Oh, come on, Sam. For a hot guy, you're kind of a prude."

"Bye, Santana," he said, awkwardly, but was stopped in his tracks.

"Where are you going? I haven't even taken off my clothes yet," said Santana pointedly. Sam rolled his eyes.

"Just let him go, Santana," said Brittany quietly, releasing Santana's grip on his hand.

"Thank you," Sam whispered to Brittany, smiling slightly. Santana looked as though she was about to comment, but was luckily interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Santana glared at Sam, as if to demand he go answer it. Sighing, he complied, leaving Santana and Brittany together.

* * *

><p>"Sam? What the hell are you doing here?" asked Quinn, resting her hand on the door frame.<p>

"Nothing," he replied quickly. Quinn gave him a suspicious look, nodding her head.

"I was wanting to speak with Santana," Quinn began, "is she here?" Sam nodded, and called out for her. The two shared an incredibly awkward silence at that, so Quinn felt the need to speak up.

"Don't hate Rachel for it, Sam," Quinn said, wincing as she did so.

"What do you mean?"

"I really shouldn't be saying this to you, but it's not her fault."

"Get to the point."

"Rachel didn't miss your date because she wanted to. She was kind of made to." Sam looked curious, but remained silent, waiting for Quinn to continue.

"It's easy to... redirect, I suppose is the right word, Rachel's focus on the important things," said Quinn, struggling to find the right words.

"So, you _redirected_ her focus, hey?" Sam asked, growing annoyed.

"No, it wasn't me, it was..." Quinn began, but found it hard to continue. It was really all her fault, she knew, but she couldn't dob herself in, especially not in front of Sam. She couldn't blame it on Finn, because Sam would be more annoyed at the fact that he and Rachel must have talked in that case. Santana was completely free of accusation, seeing as they were actually in her apartment right now. Also, Brittany was too risky to blame, because it was more than likely she was here with Santana anyway. So that left Jesse. Jesse, the manipulative bastard that Quinn was finding it harder and harder every day to love.

"Jesse. It was Jesse. He sent Rachel off to the local showground, saying there was a TV crew there or something. Long story short, he told her she could become a superstar if she went today. She was so excited, she must've forgotten all about the date. He planned this; I'm sure of it, but I have no idea what he intends to achieve at the end," said Quinn, finally._ You've become quite the effective liar, Quinny, _she thought to herself. She swallowed, hating herself for lying yet again.

"I really shouldn't have told you that," said Quinn.

"No. You really shouldn't have," said Santana coldly, approaching the two at the door.


	9. Chapter 9

**- NINE -**

Rachel stumbled onto her doorstep, still shaking from her first face-to-face interaction with Finn since graduation five years ago. After spending her entire high school life pining after him, she realised that it still took her five more years to get over him.

* * *

><p>"<em>But I don't love you, Finn. I never will."<em>

* * *

><p>Her own words still played consistently in her head. <em>Do I really mean that? After all, Sam's probably pissed that I missed a date that I planned myself without so much as a phone call.<em>

"Oh, crap!" she shrieked, fumbling in her pocket for her phone. She still hadn't even thought to call him. She entered his name into her phone, and up came a picture of his face, smiling back at her. Of course, it was just a picture. Probably taken years ago, too. Only now, she noticed just how handsome Sam really looked in it. Staring at the image of his trouty mouth and bleached blonde hair, Rachel couldn't help but smile back at the motionless photograph on the screen.

"It can't take you that long to make a phone call." Rachel jumped, looking around desperately for the speaker.

"I'm here at your window, Rachel. You might want to hurry up and come in," said Jesse from inside the house. With her heart pounding, Rachel opened the door. It was unlocked, despite her clearly remembering locking it as she left.

"There's my girl," said Jesse, smiling.

"How did you get in here?" Rachel shouted, clearly looking frightened.

"I have your spare key."

"No, you don't. Mercedes does."

"Mercedes _did_, to be more precise." Rachel swallowed. She and Jesse hadn't actually spoken alone since they were dating, and that didn't end well.

"You better have a damn good reason for being here. I still have my rape whistle, you know," Rachel said, nodding her head.

"Still my little drama queen, hey?" Jesse laughed, taking a step towards her. Rachel leapt away from him, and Jesse looked visibly irritated at the motion.

"Finn called me, Rachel."

"If that's your _damn good reason_, you're a lousy improviser."

"Would you be interested in doing a little job for me, Rachel?"

"Not really," said Rachel, caught completely off-guard.

"I thought you'd be hesitant at first," Jesse began, "you see, I'm losing Quinn."

"What do you mean?" asked Rachel, shocked at what she was hearing.

"I think that's pretty obvious, Rachel. She wants Sam. She wants him badly. Why else do you think she would've lied to you about that television contract?" Jesse asked. Rachel said nothing.

"It's because she couldn't stand hearing about your little date."

"You know, I still haven't been how she found out, you know. Finn didn't tell me about it either."

"Sam called her about it," Jesse said quickly, "anyway, I know you really like him, Rachel."

"I do," Rachel nodded.

"And you know I love Quinn, right?" Again, Rachel nodded. Jesse smiled.

"So, you're all on board then, Rach?" he asked quietly. Hesitantly, Rachel nodded. _This couldn't be going more smoothly, _Jesse thought.

"Then, here's what you're going to do..."

* * *

><p>Santana stood close behind Sam, glaring at Quinn. Mere moments later, Brittany appeared at her heels, with a guilty look on her face.<p>

"You know she's lying to you, Sam," Santana commented, keeping her eyes on Quinn. Sam looked between the two.

"Why would I lie to you, Sam? You're like my best friend."

"That's rich, Quinn. You're the same manipulative bitch that you used to be," intoned Santana.

"_I'm_ the manipulative bitch?" Quinn shouted, "are you seriously that stupid, Santana?" Santana grinned at her.

"Look, Quinny, I don't know exactly what you're trying to achieve here, but Sam and I were wanting some peace," Santana began, "could you, by any chance, please go away?"

"Actually, I was leaving..." Sam began, only to be quickly interrupted.

"Sam, please. Rachel loves you. Do not let Santana get away with this!" shrieked Quinn, looking close to tears. Sam had no idea what was going on. Quinn was right; they became very close friends after graduation. He felt that they could talk about anything, despite Quinn's secrecy whenever it came to her love life.

"There is something seriously wrong with you," Santana snarled at Quinn, and then turned to Sam.

"Britt and I totally love you, Sam. That Rachel chick has no idea what she's missing by ditching a guy like you."

"Sam, please..." pleaded Quinn, but Santana cut her short.

"Go away, Quinn," she snapped. Brittany was looking more flushed by the minute, Quinn noticed; she was clearly distressed.

"Fine," said Quinn, finally. She turned to Sam.

"I'll see you guys later. I promise you that," she said.

"Quinn, wait!" called Sam, following her out the door. Quinn turned to face him. Santana quickly clutched Sam's arm, holding him back.

"Let go of me, Santana," Sam threatened, glaring at her. Brittany approached from behind.

"Santana..." she said softly, tapping her on the shoulder. Santana turned around, still firmly grabbing Sam's arm. Suddenly, Brittany struck Santana hard on the cheek, knocking her aside. Quinn looked in horror, refusing to intervene.

* * *

><p>"Santana, Quinn's right," Brittany said, tears filling up her eyes, "you're a bitch." Quickly, Brittany shot a glance at Sam.<p>

"Go talk to Rachel, Sam," she began, "I'm sure she'll be waiting for you ." Saying nothing, Sam turned away, and took Quinn's hand as he directed her towards his car. Quinn turned back to see Santana and Brittany, but Sam swiftly ushered her into the front seat.

"What the hell was that for?" shrieked Santana, gently rubbing her cheek, which had already gone visibly red.

"I'm sick of this, Santana. I'm sick of you destroying everyone else's lives all because you won't accept your own!" Brittany shouted. This was completely out of character for Brittany; she'd never stood against Santana before. Even in the year following high school, before Santana got back together with Finn, Santana refused to be Brittany's girlfriend; she was too scared. Since then, Brittany simply followed her, knowing she was in love with someone who loved her back, and yet refused to show it.

"Why did you do it, Santana?" Brittany asked aggressively.

"Why did you let Jesse walk over you like that?" Santana stepped closer to Brittany, also on the verge of tears by this point.

"You have no idea what happened, Brittany. So don't you dare do this to me."

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:_** I might as well give a quick, textual "promo" for the next chapter, seeing as it's almost written. Mike Chang and an as-yet-unseen member of New Directions will appear, and will ultimately play a major role in Jesse's plot. Quinn, Sam, Rachel and Jesse will have a lengthy scene together, and, IMO, it gets pretty interesting. Thanks for all the positive reviews, people. It really inspires me to write more. I know some want Finchel and others want Samchel in the end of this, but I still haven't quite decided which direction I'll go. Ah, well.


	10. Chapter 10

**- TEN -**

"Thanks again for this, Mike," said Artie Abrams, reclining back in the front seat of Mike's van.

"You only need to be polite once, Artie," said Mike, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. Artie laughed.

"Must just be a force of habit," Artie added, shaking his head.

"So, you still haven't learnt to drive, I take it?" asked Mike conversationally.

"I've never really needed to. My father still takes me where I need to go," Artie admitted, blushing slightly.

"Ah, that's all right," Mike began reassuringly, "it'd be cheaper to stay with your dad anyway." Artie nodded, and turned to look outside the car window. The two remained silent for several moments then, and Artie hoped they'd reach the cinema complex soon. Artie and Mike had communicated quite sporadically these past five years, but they still visited each other every now and then. With his father now at a business conference in Philadelphia, Artie was left alone for a few months, relying on public transportation to get him everywhere he needed to be, which he hated having to do in a wheelchair. So, in order to break the lonely monotony of his daily life, Artie coaxed Mike into seeing a movie with him. Artie looked forward to it, but he doubted Mike felt the same enthusiasm.

"So, how's Tina going?" Mike asked, out of the blue. Artie stuttered, trying to find the right words.

"I – I wouldn't know," Artie began, "I haven't seen her in a few months."

"Ah, okay," said Mike at length.

"How did you two..." he began, but Artie swiftly cut him off.

"We were wanting different things. That's all," Artie replied quickly, hoping to end the conversation quickly. Mike appeared to get the hint, and decided to drop the topic.

"What about you, Mike?" asked Artie, again facing outside the window.

"Well," he began, "I met up with Brittany at the reunion last night."

"It was last night?" Artie asked, sounding shocked, "I was really wanting to go to that."

"Oh, yeah, it was great," teased Mike, "Britt and I danced together."

"Ah, nice. What's Britt been up to?" asked Artie. Mike tried to find hints of jealousy in Artie's words, but was unsuccessful. If Artie had any lingering feelings for Brittany, he was keeping them well-hidden.

"We didn't talk that much, but..." Mike began, but stopped suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Artie curiously, following Mike's line of sight. Artie saw two young women standing on the front lawn of a nearby building. From what he could tell, they were having a pretty serious argument about something. Artie then noticed two other people getting into a car parked on the side of the road, only a few metres away from the two young women. Of these two people entering the car, Artie saw that one of them was also a young woman, with long, straight blonde hair running down her back. He had only seen her back, and it was only for a few mere seconds, but Artie felt a smile make its mark on his pale face. As he watched the car start its journey away from him and Mike, Artie felt instantly smitten. Smitten with a young woman he hadn't even seen the face of, and, very likely, never would anyway. Mike stopped the car quickly, bringing Artie back to reality from his dream-like state of mind.

* * *

><p>"Brittany!" called Mike, exiting the vehicle and running towards the women. Then, Artie realised. This was Brittany and Santana fighting. Santana was the reason Artie's relationship with Brittany never turned into anything major. <em>If there was any one member of New Directions I hated, it was Santana.<em> Something clicked in Artie's mind as he thought of New Directions. _That girl... the one getting into that car... that was Quinn!_ Artie had a major crush on Quinn throughout most of his senior year, but he never had the courage to confess his feelings to her. After all, she was the popular cheerleader. He was just a nerdy kid in a wheelchair. Quinn had always gone for the dumb jocks. Puck, Sam, Finn... what chance did someone like Artie have with a girl like that? But still... seeing her just now, ever so fleetingly, reignited those feelings in Artie. _Too bad that's never going to happen..._

* * *

><p>Sam pulled the car to a complete stop as he arrived at Rachel's house. He breathed deeply, nervous about what he could possibly say to her. Even with Quinn... well, <em>especially<em> with Quinn at his side, Sam grew worried that this could turn awkward.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Quinn asked impatiently. Sam could tell that she was getting more and more agitated by the minute, but it was best not to mention that sort of thing with Quinn. Ignoring Quinn's question, Sam stepped out of his car, and headed straight for Rachel's front door. Quinn swiftly followed suit, and was at his side within moments. Just as Sam was about to knock, the door opened.

"Quinn!" Jesse shouted, his voice filled with both anger and surprise.

"What are you doing here?" asked Jesse, scowling. Rachel came running to Jesse's side.

"Sam!" she shrieked excitedly.

"What's Jesse St. Jackass doing here?" Sam asked Rachel demandingly, brushing past the two of them to get inside the house with Quinn close at his heels.

"That's an unpleasant nickname," Jesse commented, "and how is it that he knows my name?" Quinn opened her mouth to speak, but quickly looked away. Rachel could tell that Quinn was distressed, but she found it difficult to sympathise with her.

"It's nothing, Sam. Jesse and I were just talking..." Rachel began.

"He's engaged, Rachel!" shouted Sam, pointing at Quinn, who, by this point, appeared to be trying to ignore all three of them.

"I know that, Sam," said Rachel, surprised

"We just talked. Nothing more than that."

"Rachel, this guy played you. I don't see how you could so easily forgive someone who just crushed your dreams for fun," said Sam, sounding irritated.

"No, he didn't!" snapped Rachel, "where on Earth did you get that from?" Jesse gave the faintest hint of a smile, but, he knew, Rachel and Sam were too busy to noticed. _Nice work, Quinn. You're more useful than I thought_.

"Quinn told me. She wants to help you. Look, it's all right, Rach. I know what's been going on. It's not your fault," said Sam sympathetically, putting his hand on her shoulder. Rachel quickly shrugged it off, and shot a glare at Quinn.

"So, you're lying to him, too, Quinn?" roared Rachel, infuriated.

"I can't believe how much of a bitch you are! You're lying to your own fianc_é_ now!"

"Rachel, calm down!" said Sam, sternly, "don't pin all this on her."

"How could you, Quinn?" shouted Jesse, "I loved you, more than I've ever loved anything, and yet, you lie to me like this?" A look of sheer horror struck Quinn's face as she realised. She wasn't meant to be helping Jesse in whatever it is he was intending to do. She was nothing more than a pawn to him; a piece in a chess game to be sacrificed when it has served its purpose. Above all, the worst thing was that there was nothing she could do now. Rachel now loathed Quinn's existence above all else, and it was all Jesse's doing. No, it was all _her_ doing. Quinn did this to herself. What was it about him that made her his willing slave? I didn't matter now. It was all over. Jesse won.

* * *

><p>"Is he for real, Quinn?" Sam asked, clearly disappointed.<p>

"No..." she began, tears welling up her eyes.

"Liar!" snapped Rachel, glaring at her with a look of pure hatred.

"I can't believe you, Quinn," scoffed Jesse.

"You're trying it again; lying even when you've been caught in the act." Jesse stormed away, stopping as he reached the door.

"The wedding's off, Quinn. Go be a deceitful little harlot with some other guy."

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN_**: Now, I've made a rough outline of how this fic will play out, so I know exactly which direction I'll take. Mike and Artie will both have more prominent roles from now on, and there will be a Brittany/Santana/Mike/Artie scene in Chapter 11. Jesse will be absent from the next chapter, and I will introduce only one more as-yet-unseen member of New Directions into the storyline in a few chapters time. Thanks for all the reviews, guys. Hope you liked this chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

**- ELEVEN -**

"Brittany!" Mike called, running up beside her. Brittany turned towards him slowly; a very sombre look covered her face. Artie struggled to prepare his wheelchair, knowing he could be staying here for a while.

"Mike, this is kind of important..." Brittany began, gesturing towards Santana, who was still looking painfully distraught.

"Brittany, I..." Mike said, but was quickly cut off.

"Please, Mike. Just go." Mike stared deeply into Brittany's eyes, and understood instantly. He had known her since first grade. He stopped, and gazed upon her stunning complexion. Gorgeous, yet tender. Fragile. Seeing her like this reminded him of the first memory they shared. It was a typical day in junior school. The two were playing in the courtyard. He couldn't quite remember exactly what game; that part was unimportant. At some stage, Brittany tripped on the concrete path, and young Mike rushed to her side. Upon seeing her scraped knee, young Brittany began to cry. All too quickly, Mike took her hand, and pulled her upright. He kissed her, ever so lightly, on the back of her hand. As he reached forward to wipe the tears from her face, Brittany gave him a smile he could never forget; a smile that he hoped he would keep with him for the rest of his life.

* * *

><p>Brittany told him to leave, but her words disobeyed her eyes. She was begging him to go away but Mike knew. He knew that she was in pain, and he couldn't bring to leave her like this.<p>

"This can't wait, Brittany," said Mike, clearing his throat. Brittany took a quick glance at Santana, and turned back to Mike. Brittany said nothing.

"Look, Brittany, I have to say this. If I don't now, then..." He struggled to find the right words. Mike breathed in deeply, and took Brittany's hand into his.

"Brittany, I..." he began, but was quickly interrupted. Santana leapt between them, and shoved Mike aside.

"No," Santana croaked. Brittany could see clearly that Santana was desperately trying to say something more. Hopefully, something Brittany had longed to hear for years. Artie wheeled his chair towards them, staring at each of their faces as he arrived.

"So, um... who died?" asked Artie.

"Oh, go away!" shrieked Santana, pointing furiously at Artie. Artie's eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't believe that he had already managed to annoy Santana.

"You too!" she roared at Mike.

"Just calm down, Santana," Brittany said, stroking Santana's wrist.

"Don't touch me!" Santana yelled furiously, shrugging off Brittany's hand. She was in pain. Staring at Santana's face, Brittany could she that this was killing her.

"Back off, Santana," Mike said bluntly.

"Don't do this to your best friend."

"Best friend?" scoffed Santana, "Sure. Brittany's my _best friend_." Without looking back, Santana rushed back nside the apartment, her hands covering her eyes.

"Santana!" Brittany called after her, retreating back towards the towards. After only a few steps, however, Mike place his firm, calloused hand on her shoulder.

"Mike, please. I have to do this," she said adamantly.

"I love you," he said suddenly. "I – I always have. That night, when I was dancing with you again, it reminded me so much of how I loved being close to you. How I loved being there for you when times were tough. Brittany... I know this is long overdue, but... I need you. I need you at my side. I need you there with me. The thought of ever losing you, it's..." Mike's voice cracked as he spoke. Brittany was speechless. She cared a great deal about Mike, but never really considered him as any more than a close friend. She thought back to last night. She danced at his side for hours. She had the time of her life. It took Brittany a while then to realise. Brittany had spent her entire high schooling life – hell, even the last five years out of high school – pining over Santana. Santana was the one thing in Brittany's life that was constant, unchanging; best friends for life, as it were. Still, Brittany knew that Santana loved her more than anything. Brittany loved her back, too. Never once; not even when she was with Artie, did Brittany really love anyone else. Now, though, she saw a man standing in front of her; telling her that he loved her. Telling her that he always had, and always will. Brittany saw this as an analogy. Mike was to Brittany what Brittany was to Santana. The one that had always loved the other, and yet, was completely ignored. Mike's love for Brittany seemed to be the same as her love for Santana. How could Brittany reject Mike here and now? How could she, knowing that she would be doing exactly what Santana had always been doing to her?

Brittany swallowed, and shook her head. She grasped Mike by the hand, and pulled him inside the apart, chasing Santana. As the door slammed shut behind then, Artie raced up in his wheelchair. Artie fiddled with the doorknob, but it was no use.

* * *

><p>"Damn it. This bloody door must lock by itself..." he sighed.<p>

Moments past, as he waited on the pavement in front of the house. He stared at his wristwatch.

"Well," he began, "this sucks."

* * *

><p>Rachel stared at the front door. It was closed now; locked and sealed. Quinn rushed outside mere moments before, leaving only Sam and Rachel together in her apartment.<p>

"Well, it's just the two us of us, so..." Sam began, only to be happily interrupted. Rachel threw her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek as she did so.

"I'm so sorry, Sam."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault, Rach."

"No, it was. I completely forgot about our date. It was so rude of me, and I..."

"Rachel, please. Don't worry about it. You could always make it up to me, you know."

"Well, now, hold up, Sammy Evans. I'm not Quinn or Santana. You'll wait a little longer than that." Sam blushed.

"That's not what I meant!" he said quickly. Rachel winked at him.

"I know," she began, "You just look cute when you're all embarrassed." Sam smiled, and took her hand.

"What I meant to say," he began, "was that we could always go grab a coffee or something now." Sam stared into Rachel's eyes. He saw she wasn't dressed up as nicely as she was last night, but there was something adorable about her unique style. Rachel was simply stunning, no matter what she was wearing. He couldn't understand why Finn would leave this gorgeous young woman for Quinn, of all people. Of course, Sam didn't know just how much of a bitch his ex-girlfriend really was until minutes earlier. Quinn was hot, but had a horrific personality. Rachel, on the other hand, was beautiful and unique. Rachel was a special girl, and Sam didn't ever want to have to let her go.

* * *

><p>"Coffee sounds great. <em>The Lima Bean<em> doesn't close for a few hours yet," Rachel replied, stretching out her arms to hug him again.

"Then it's settled. I'll take you out for a drive. I mean, you saw how great a driver I was last night, so it'll be fun." Rachel giggled.

"Oh, yes, NASCAR quality, you are." She lightly nudged him in the arm, and led him out to her driveway by the hand.

"Oh, crap," Sam cursed.

"What?" Rachel asked quickly, letting go of Sam's hand.

"That bitch stole my car."

"Oh," Rachel began, "I don't have one, unfortunately." Sam looked surprised.

"How do you get around, then?"

"Bus, mostly. There's a stop only two blocks away. We could just go back inside, Sam. I could call Jesse to come back and pick us up."

"No, no," said Sam, "I wouldn't want to bother him. That guy still creeps me out." Rachel laughed.

"You're not the only one. He's a good guy, though." Sam said nothing.

"Well, I'm taking you out today. We can't cancel twice, Rach."

"Then, bus it is. Buses are very romantic," she began, jokingly, "I've met some unexpected people on them."

"Sam, don't worry. We'll get your car back." Sam gave Rachel the faintest hint of a smile.

"Quinn's going to get what she deserves. I promise you that."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Sorry I haven't been updating much recently. I'll try to get the next chapter up a little sooner for you guys. As usual, I'll give you all a little preview. Quinn's back in the next chapter, and she's up for some revenge. Quinn will form an "unlikely" alliance against Jesse, who's not even close to being finished with his big plan yet. There will definitely be more Bike vs. Brittana drama, although I'm still debating which one will be endgame. Yes, one of them will be. Thank you all again for your positive reviews, guys. You rock!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**- TWELVE -**

Quinn slammed down on the breaks, forcing Sam's car to a swift halt. Her appalling attempt at parking the car was met with several disapproving glances. The Lima District Plaza was busier than ever this evening, but Quinn had barely noticed. She buried her face in the steering wheel, screaming and cursing as she did so. She had lost everything. Sam Evans, her closest and dearest friend, now loathed her above all else; and it was all because of Jesse. Just thinking the name made her stomach churn. Their entire relationship was built on a lie. He never loved her, and she never loved him. Quinn shook her head violently. She didn't want to think back on how all this started. There was only one thing on her mind; revenge. _If he can take everything from me, I can just return the favour. There's nothing wrong with that at all, right?_

* * *

><p>Quinn sighed, reaching a sudden realisation. She had no idea where Jesse was, let alone how to get back at him. She threw the car door open, slowly rising from the driver's seat. She breathed deeply, staring out into the crowd around her. She knew she looked awful; countless people stared at her with wide eyes as they strode past. Quinn couldn't help but consider everyone around her. Did they simply wake up this morning, have breakfast with their families, and head off the grocery store? Did they feel loved by those around her? Yet another tear dripped down the side of Quinn's face, but she quickly wiped it away, forcing herself to smile. That would be her one day; smiling next to a guy who truly loved her and deeply cared for her. It just wasn't going to be any time soon.<p>

* * *

><p>"Quinn?" asked an all-too-familiar voice from behind her. She cringed as she realised who it was; Finn Hudson.<p>

"Not a good time, Finn," she said, refusing to turn around. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she quickly spun around, shoving him aside.

"Whoa, Quinn. You look like you just saw your own mother die," he began, "Wait, she didn't, did she?"

"Go away, Finn!" she shrieked.

"I'd rather not. I already copped that from Rachel earlier."

"You talked to Rachel?" Quinn asked, barely managing to restrain herself from kicking him.

"I wouldn't really say _talked_. It was more like one-sided _verbal abuse_."

"You abused her?"

"What? No, no, no. She was the one screaming her lungs out at me." Quinn simply nodded, staring at Finn with a look of disbelief.

"I wouldn't have expected you to believe me over her anyway," he added.

"Anyway, Quinn..." Finn began, "You still haven't told me why you look so bad."

"It's none of your business, Finn. I just need some time alone right now."

"I'm not leaving 'till you tell me what's wrong." Quinn groaned, muttering under her breath.

"It's Jesse, alright?" she said finally, staring at her feet. Finn scoffed.

"I should've guessed that."

"Yeah, maybe," said Quinn, clearly looking for a way out of the conversation.

"Look, Quinn... if you need anything..."

"I don't, Finn. I'm perfectly fine."

"I don't think you get what I mean," said Finn, clearing his throat.

"Well, what do you mean, Finn? Enlighten me."

"I'll help you get at that Jesse guy. You say the word, and I'll do it." There was a clear sense of determination in Finn's words. Quinn felt, for sure, that Finn was being as sincere as he could. She was well aware of Jesse and Finn's past. The two had certainly never been able to see eye-to-eye, and this was a fact that Quinn was well aware of.

"Fine," she began, "You really want to help me?" Finn nodded.

"Then throw me an idea. You've always been pretty good at screwing up peoples' lives, so you tell me what we can do," said Quinn, challenging him. Finn appeared quite taken aback, but he swallowed, entering deep thought.

"How badly do you want him hurt?"

"Very. Don't kill him, though. If you do, it's all on your conscience," said Quinn, "Maybe not _physically_ hurt him..."

"All right. We'll screw up his life," Finn said, surprisingly calmly. Quinn tilted her head, seeming curious.

"Why are you so into this, Finn?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. Finn stumbled to find an answer.

"I hate the guy. You know that, too."

"Yeah, I know. You tried to punch him," commented Quinn.

"And I got sucker-punched in the side of the face from your ex-boyfriend in the process," added Finn.

"I see," said Quinn, grinning slightly.

"What?"

"It's Rachel, isn't it?"

"Rachel's with Sam, not Jesse."

"I know that," Quinn began, "but you still have feelings for her, right?"

"Okay, fine. You've got me. I like her," he said. Quinn's grin widened.

"And you think helping me get rid of Jesse will get you with her?" she asked. Finn said nothing.

"Ah, Finn. You're cute when you're agitated."

"Well," Finn began, ignoring Quinn's comment, "are you in?" Quinn looked around, clearly in deep thought.

"All right."

"I'll call you when I've got something," Finn said.

"You better."

* * *

><p>Rachel was jumping up and down madly, waving her hands wildly at the bus driver.<p>

"You know, a simple wave works too," commented Sam, smiling. Rachel returned the smile as the bus came to a halt in front of them. She led him onto the bus, quickly muttering a greeting to the driver. The two sat down on a seat close to the back of the bus. As the two attempted to comfortable, leaning back against the headrest, Rachel tilted her head onto Sam's shoulder, smiling lightly. Sam stroked her hair; a stupid smile on his face as he did so. Sam felt much closer to Rachel after their little drama earlier, and he gravely regretted ever doubting her. She was a genuinely affectionate young woman, Sam noted.

* * *

><p>Sam felt a hand nudging his other shoulder, and he slowly turned around. To his surprise, Artie was only two seats behind them, stretching forward to get his attention.<p>

"Hey, Artie," Sam said, turning to face him. Rachel followed suit, also pleased to see her old friend.

"It's been a while," said Rachel.

"Yeah, definitely. I missed you guys."

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" Rachel asked, sounding concerned.

"Oh, nothing much. Mike and I were going to see the movies later, but he got caught up with some, uh... some important stuff."

"Bummer," commented Sam.

"What'd you mean by _important stuff_?" asked Rachel.

"Well," Artie began, struggling to find the right words, "Brittany and Santana were having a bit of a tiff – or at least, I think they were – and Mike joined in." Sam and Rachel seemed expectant that he say more, so Artie continued.

"Mike said he loved her. That was interesting."

"Really?" Rachel asked, excitedly, "Oh, that's so cute!"

"Wait, doesn't Brittany love Santana?" Sam asked, surprised. Rachel and Artie looked curiously at Sam.

"I can't be the only one to have noticed that," Sam commented.

"Awkward," said Rachel, "I can't even imagine being in a love triangle myself."


End file.
